196 episodes

Great art almost feels like magic—it opens our minds to brand new ideas, and teaches us to see ourselves and our world more clearly. Of course, behind all great art, there are artists. And that’s where the real magic happens…

As we go beneath the art itself to explore how different artists do what they do, we see glimpses of the sorts of creativity, resilience, and bravery that lead to the art that moves our world. And maybe we can learn to borrow some of that magic for our very own thinking.

Join professional musician Emily Merrell for conversations with artists of all kinds. Together, we examine the mysteries of our own experiences, our muses and fears, our gifts and foibles, our beliefs about the origins of creativity, and the secret magic we’ve discovered in our unique creative processes.

Mediums include: studio art, graphic design, dance, cooking, illustration, creative writing, storytelling, comedy, music composition, music performance, film making, acting, production, fashion design, photography, and more.

Visit https://emilymerrellmusic.com/artifice-podcast/ for more information.

- Theme Song "As You Are" by Emily Merrell @emilymerrellmusic
- Illustration and Graphic Design by Sarah Keele @sarahkeeleart
- Photography by Jen Palmer @jenpalmerphoto
- HMU by Shawna Turner @shawnaturnerdesigns

Artifice Artifice Podcast by Emily Merrell

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 22 Ratings

Great art almost feels like magic—it opens our minds to brand new ideas, and teaches us to see ourselves and our world more clearly. Of course, behind all great art, there are artists. And that’s where the real magic happens…

As we go beneath the art itself to explore how different artists do what they do, we see glimpses of the sorts of creativity, resilience, and bravery that lead to the art that moves our world. And maybe we can learn to borrow some of that magic for our very own thinking.

Join professional musician Emily Merrell for conversations with artists of all kinds. Together, we examine the mysteries of our own experiences, our muses and fears, our gifts and foibles, our beliefs about the origins of creativity, and the secret magic we’ve discovered in our unique creative processes.

Mediums include: studio art, graphic design, dance, cooking, illustration, creative writing, storytelling, comedy, music composition, music performance, film making, acting, production, fashion design, photography, and more.

Visit https://emilymerrellmusic.com/artifice-podcast/ for more information.

- Theme Song "As You Are" by Emily Merrell @emilymerrellmusic
- Illustration and Graphic Design by Sarah Keele @sarahkeeleart
- Photography by Jen Palmer @jenpalmerphoto
- HMU by Shawna Turner @shawnaturnerdesigns

    Ep. 183 Kimber Greenwood

    Ep. 183 Kimber Greenwood

    Throughout her life, Kimber has had two deep passions: water and art. It seemed obvious she would foray into the underwater portrait photography industry however, the road she took was a bit more scenic. As a teenager, Kimber worked as a lifeguard and eventually became Open Water SCUBA certified in a frigid Ohio quarry. In college, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at Texas A&M University During her time at A&M, Kimber became an AAUS Scientific Diver, Full Cave Diver, and an Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Diver. Upon graduation, she moved to Florida to continue pursuing her passion for diving while helping her partner conduct research in Florida's submerged cave systems. Kimber ended up in North Florida shortly after where she attended the University of Florida to research microbial films in underwater caves, but ultimately ended up pursuing a degree in the medical field as a Registered Nurse.

    Photography entered Kimber's universe after her son was born, and became a passion fueled by the desire to visualize the images trapped in her mind. Her entry into underwater portraiture was solidified after a friend asked for maternity photos at a local Spring. Since that time, the water has been a staple in Kimber's work. As she continued to capture underwater images and grow in her craft, Kimber found the industry was lagging behind other photography specialties and there was a minimal amount of educational opportunities available for an aspiring underwater portrait photographer. As a former lifeguard and nurse, Kimber was shocked by the lack of emphasis on safety. In 2019 Kimber began piecing together an outline for an underwater portraiture workshop and held the first 3-day event at her studio for 10 photographers in 2020. The Water WorkshopTM is currently in it's 4th year. Additionally, Kimber mentors numerous experienced and aspiring underwater portrait photographers every year and in 2024 successfully hosted her first underwater portrait photography retreat at the cenotes of Riviera Maya in Mexico.

    Kimber's passion for underwater portraiture has rewarded her through numerous awards and features worldwide, as well as the opportunity to shoot underwater ad campaigns for several clients, brands, and non-profits. Kimber's underwater work has been featured by Meta, Elle, CNN, Insider, and several others.

    waterbearphotography.com
    water-workshop.com
    kimbergreenwood.com

    • 2 hr 3 min
    Ep. 182 Birgir Steinn Theodórsson

    Ep. 182 Birgir Steinn Theodórsson

    Double bass player Birgir Steinn Theodorsson graduated from FÍH's music school with distinction in 2015 and subsequently studied at the jazz department of the Berlin Academy of Arts and Hans Eisler in Berlin. Birgir Steinn has worked with numerous bands and musicians, both as double bass player, co-author and arranger. He has performed in many places in Europe and the USA, played at international jazz festivals as well as recorded on numerous records with various artists both in Iceland and in Berlin.

    Listening:
    - Köflótt https://open.spotify.com/album/2lYmMwFDzFKRItNyOOOima?si=Kg5m-NGyQtexdzyCa3KChQ
    - Japl https://open.spotify.com/album/6yOLDKkWlHL1EyJ7EZLmSL?si=3vRoCHxwTaeGDekAh868Dg
    - Aether https://open.spotify.com/album/3uegINfg4lnTWAO5ew3Znd?si=MG2n1A12S-2dU-Y7hXyBhw
    - Röggi https://open.spotify.com/album/2yzxP5XTg7wozihHaT7Acr?si=--q3YU7RTvuZqv4A82rJYA
    - Five Angles https://open.spotify.com/album/6nRYUssraAwixVfSPOOAF9?si=bwOtE8KfQIqEvFqDeQlMFQ

    • 1 hr 50 min
    Ep. 181: Hale Baskin

    Ep. 181: Hale Baskin

    Raised in the San Francisco jazz scene, Hale Baskin has always brought her uninhibited and ready-to-rumble personality to her performances. By the time she was twenty, Hale had already been awarded three DownBeat Magazine Awards for Student Jazz performances, performed with notable musicians and ensembles like Arturo Sandoval, the Count Basie Orchestra and Jamie Davis, and the Mike Vax Big Band—not to mention led her own ensemble in multiple Western states. In 2010, Hale relocated to North Texas, where she began experimenting with the personalized sound that’s now her trademark: funky, sly, and polished without being sterile. Her current projects include the Southpaw Preachers, a creative soul-funk band that plays both original music and covers; and Jazz Addiction, a swing band whose repertoire, ranging from Motown to Bossa nova, breaks the category. Hale brings her humor, extensive professional background, and entrepreneurial spirit to each aspect of her business.

    For private events, she often acts as an informal Master of Ceremonies, coordinating the many moving parts of a stage performance before seamlessly delivering the next number. As a band leader, Hale focuses on cooperation and accountability so that each member has the space to play to their strengths—literally! The Southpaw Preachers and Jazz Addiction travel nationally for performances. Outside of these projects, Hale accepts freelance work in both live and studio contexts, and teaches voice lessons out of her studio in Denton, TX. As a female business owner, Hale is active in local politics, social justice, and environmentalism.

    https://www.halebaskin.com
    https://www.instagram.com/halebaskin/

    • 2 hr 9 min
    Ep. 180: Scott Franklin

    Ep. 180: Scott Franklin

    Ep. 180: Scott Franklin by Artifice Podcast by Emily Merrell

    • 2 hr 16 min
    Ep. 179: Thomas Bartlett

    Ep. 179: Thomas Bartlett

    Thomas Bartlett is a wire jewelry craftsman and artist out of Minneapolis Minnesota. His work utilizes weaving and coiling of wire to create detailed highly textural settings for natural stones and crystals. In addition to jewelry work Thomas has a BFA in 2d media and creates psychosexual surrealist illustrations and paintings.

    Instagram.com/_whiskey_kitten_
    Instagram.com/thomasbartlettart

    • 1 hr 51 min
    Ep. 178: Dave Chisholm

    Ep. 178: Dave Chisholm

    Dave Chisholm is a graphic novelist and musician currently living in Rochester, NY where he received his doctorate in jazz trumpet from the Eastman School of Music in 2013. His expertise in music as well as his formal inventiveness within the comics medium has resulted in a string of critically-acclaimed music-centric graphic novels including Enter the Blue (2022, Z2 Comics), Chasin' the Bird: Charlie Parker in California (2020, Z2 Comics), and the groundbreaking graphic novel + original soundtrack Instrumental (2017, Z2 Comics). In his newest work, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound, Chisholm portrays the life of Miles Davis, one of his oldest musical heroes, in a kaleidoscopic array of visual styles that represent Davis' famously varied oeuvre.

    Hailed by ComicsBeat as "one of the most exciting comic auteurs working in comics today," Chisholm also has a passion for education and teaches comics and music at the Hochstein School and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

    In his free time, Dave enjoys spending time with his family and his cats.

    http://www.davechisholmmusic.com

    • 2 hr 2 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
22 Ratings

22 Ratings

Rachmaninoff98 ,

Illuminating!

Through illuminating conversations with a wide array of creative artists, Emily does an excellent job of getting at the heart of what it means to make one's living as an artist. She explores the struggles and contradictions of the creative life but also the "big magic" (to use Elizabeth Gilbert's phrase) that makes it all worth it. Thank you, Emily!

Commspro ,

Great listen!

Loved this episode- real, raw insight into the struggle/fine line between selling vs selling out, whatever brand of art - or ART - you may practice.

sliszt ,

Getting real about art, creativity and careers

Emily does an excellent job pulling the curtain behind what it means and looks like to be artistic, specifically when your art is your career. Balancing sales, creativity, perception, income and time is difficult and we should talk about it. This podcast is perfect for artists who want to GET REAL ABOUT IT!

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